Private Moments Interrupted
by Ethereal Maybe
Summary: Stanley and Zero have feelings for each other, but their private moments keep getting interrupted. What Ever Shall They Do?
1. Private Moments

  


Hector Zeroni stepped into his large new room, and immediately knew where he was going to put everything he owned. The bed would be in the middle, against the back wall. The couch would be in the left corner of the room, and his plasma-screen t.v. would occupy the wall in front of it. He'd set up his PS2 later, after he got everything else in. His spacious walk-in closet would be perfect for his clothes and keepsakes. The computer desk would go against the right side of the room, and he'd set up his sound-system next to it. His book case would go right next to his bed. And it would be filled with books. Big, long ones with lots of plot twists and no pictures.

Thanks to Stanley, he would have all of this and more.

"Yo, Zero, cool room!" came a voice from behind him. Speak of the devil...

Turning around, he was greeted by the sight of his best friend in the world, Stanley Yelnats. A soft smile found it's way across his face as he approached. Something about him always brightened a room. With an unnoticed grace, he strode into the empty room, and surveyed it with a careful eye.

"Dude, you should put the couch in that left corner, then put the plasma screen in front of it." Stanley said, with a smile. Zero's smile grew wider. 

"I was thinkin' about that. Maybe put the computer desk up against the right wall."

"Yeah, that sounds cool." Stanley stated. "Put the sound system right next to it."

"Yeah," Zero said. "Then put the book case right next to my bed."

"Excellent." stated Stanley. "This room's gonna rock."

Brushing some curls out of his face, Zero let himself picture the room with everything else inside it. He and Stanley playing video games. He and Stanley doing his reading lessons. He and Stanley just sitting on the king-sized bed. Talking, laughing....

Kissing....

His eyes grew wide and he blushed at the thought. Where the hell had that come from? But it seemed like once the image was there, he couldn't stop it. He blushed even harder as the fantasy heated up. Stanley pulled his body closer, slipping his tongue into his mouth. Zero's hands gripped tightly to the boy's chestnut hair as he pushed Zero down onto the dark blue comforter, slipping his hand up his shirt. Zero let the shirt fall off his shoulders, once unbuttoned, and began pulling off Stanley's shirt as well. Stanley's mouth wandered along his neck, kissing, licking, nipping. He nipped Stanley's ear lightly as he slid a hand down his pants, earning a moan from him. His fingers grazed the boy's member, and Stanley moaned his nick-name. "Zero... Zero...

"Zero? You okay, man?" Hector Zeroni, great-great-great-great grandson of the mysterious gypsy, Madame Zeroni, was blushing like hell and trying to hide his hard-on from sight. Stanley's concerned gaze made his heart melt, but then freeze as he walked closer to Zero. Close enough, he was certain, to see the... *ahem* problem.

"Ye-yeah, I'm fine." Zero tried. The words were unsuccessful, however, because the boy only came closer.

"You sure? You look kind of.. Hot. Like you've been running for a while. Let me see if you have a fever. My mom used to do this all the time." Stanley's hand reached out and felt his forehead, causing him to blush even more.

"Yeah, you do feel a little hot. Come back to my house and lay on the couch a little while. I'll tell your mom you're not feelin' too good."

"Uh, let me just go to the bathroom before I leave." said Zero, dashing out of the room before Stanley could reply. He reached the main bathroom quickly enough, and about ten minutes later, his problem was relieved.

Coming back to his room, he found Stanley leaning against the doorframe.

"Zero, where were you? Hey, you look much better now. I'm glad." The smile on Stanley's face was worth more than anything right then. Zero smiled back.

"Oh, I'm okay. It was nothing." He stepped closer to his friend, and leaned against the other side of the doorframe. While Stanley looked away, Zero let his eyes rake over his friend's body. It was all absolutely perfect. From that wild, disheveled hair, to that beautiful face, to that perfect body...Hot. As. Hell.

Stanley looked him up and down, a worried look plain on his face.

"I'm fine! See- Whoa!" Zero almost finished, before tripping on his shoe-laces. With the speed of a cheetah, an arm wrapped around his waist and pulled him up. Zero blushed at how close this left them. Their lips were centimeters apart...

"Hey! You two! Where you want everything?" They sprung apart in an instant, both blushing, as three gruff movers began hauling Zero's things into the room.

"Just put all the boxes in the back corner. The bed goes over there." Stanley said, pointing. Was Zero simply imagining the annoyed tone in Stanley's voice? Maybe...


	2. Interrupted

  


Sifting through the huge cardboard boxes, Stanley Yelnats thought about his best friend and biggest crush. Hector Zeroni certainly was one of a kind. That dark curly hair was perfectly seductive, as were the large obsidian eyes which perfectly accented his face. The smile that reminded him of a jack-o-lantern and made his heart thump in his chest. Gorgeous. That's what Hector Zeroni was. Simply Gorgeous. 

Stealing a glance across the room, he saw Zero making his king-sized bed. The navy-blue comforter ran through his hands as he tried to find the corner. Then, his hands found the sewn on slip of fabric-paper near the middle of the bottom. His brows furrowed in concentration. Stanley couldn't help but think how cute it made him look.

"D-d-do not re-remove under pe-pe-penalty of law." The face relaxed, and then turned in Stanley's direction hopefully.

"Yeah. That's on a lot of stuff like heavy comforters and couches." Stanley shrugged.

"Oh." Zero quickly spread the comforter on the bed. Then, after thorough inspection, he flopped down and released a long sigh of contentment.

Stanley's breath caught in his throat. The boy was just laying there, legs spread. His eyes closed involuntarily as a picture came into his head. Zero was naked, laying on the comforter. The room around him was dimly lit, most likely with candles. His eyes were blazing with passion, and his hand was beckoning. "Come here, Stanley..."

"Stanley? You okay?" Stanley Yelnats was blushing like a maniac and had a hard-on roughly the size of New Jersey before he had opened his eyes.

"Yeah. Uh, 'scuse me for a minute." With that, he ran to the nearest bathroom and relieved himself before he burst.

Coming back into the room, he found Zero asleep in his new bed. Smiling softly, he continued to unpack quietly. 

When he opened the next box, he was surprised to discover a very tattered, very dirty-looking stuffed giraffe. He immediately concluded that this was Jaffy, and put him aside for now. Stealing yet another glance, Stanley couldn't help but admire the peaceful form stretched out on the bed. He was beautiful. Simply beautiful. The cinnamon color of the boy's skin made him want to lick him all over. Literally. The boy's petite figure was still as strong, or stronger than any other man. God, that chest must be perfect. Well defined and hard from months of digging. Speaking of hard... He better stop right there before he gets hard again.

He continued unpacking for awhile, until he heard his friend stir.

"Stanley? Is that Jaffy?" The boy asked, curiously.

"You tell me. It was in with this box, so I took a guess." Stanley answered, bringing Jaffy over to where Zero was laying. Sitting down next to Zero on the bed, Stanley glanced around before looking Zero in the eye.

"Thanks for your help with the unpacking. Would've died of boredom doing it alone." Sighed Zero, glancing around the room.

"It's not done yet, little buddy." Stanley said, ruffling his hair. Zero glared. He hated the nick-name 'little buddy' and Stanley knew it.

"Not funny, Yelnats." Zero stated, flatly.

"Oh, but it is." said Stanley, again ruffling his hair.

"Oh really?" asked Zero, who then calmly reached up and ruffled Stanley's own hair.

"Oh, you shall pay..." with that, Stanley pushed Zero down and began tickling like no tomorrow. The boy giggled and squirmed beneath him in a way impossible to ignore. But soon he grinned, and began fighting back. It became an all-out tickle war, until finally, Stanley gave in.

"Okay, okay, I give up!" he giggled, then blushed when he realized the position they were in. Zero was straddling his waist and had his hands up his shirt. He had his own hands under Zero's shirt. Both boys were inches away from the other's lips.

Stanley felt more afraid and less in control of his own actions every second. God, that boy looked amazing, all flushed like that. Was he getting sick again? Or... _Crap! Can he feel my hard-on?_ He thought. Suddenly, an inexplicable gravitational force was pulling their lips closer and closer until....

"HECTOR, HUNNY, COME ORDER YOUR DINNER!!! PIZZA TONIGHT!!!" Zero's mom was never one for timing. 

Slowly, Zero rose to his feet. "Uh, what kind of pizza you want?"

"Oh, plain thanks. Just plain." Stanley found it almost impossible to breathe for a moment.

Zero left to go order pizza, and Stanley could swear he saw him glaring in the direction of his mother's voice. 


	3. By Him

  


Zero was happy that Stanley was sleeping over his new house that night, but a little nervous as well. There was something about him that made him feel on edge. But now the room was finished and perfect, and he wanted he and his best friend to test out the new mattress.

Wait. Did he actually think that? 

A blush spread over his face like molten lava. Sitting down on the edge of his bed, he hugged Jaffy to his chest. This was going to be hard. Having Stanley around all night AND sleeping in the same bed as him? Oh yeah. Torture. He let his head drop to the comforter, but only too late realized that he had just laid his head in Stanley's lap. He sprang up at a seconds notice, and blushed down to his toes. Stanley didn't seem to notice, though.

"Yo, Z-Man, you okay?" He asked, concerned. 

"Uh, yeah. I'm fine." he stuttered, berating himself silently, as Stanley moved to the couch.

"Hey, I'll kick your butt at whatever video game you set up." Stanley boasted, smirk on his face. Zero smirked as well. 

"Oh yeah? Well we'll just see about that." he said, setting up the PS2. They played for about an hour, and each won more than usual. Finally, they decided to watch a movie instead. Zero picked up an old fifties sci-fi flick, and they decided to spend the entire movie cutting it up for how cheesy it was.

The movie began in the middle of a jungle. The trees and animals were very obviously plastic. A man was walking through this jungle, looking warily at a fake plastic snake, wrapped around a tree.

"Dude, that guy is SO stupid! It's completely fake! Anyone can see that!" Zero commented.

"Oh yeah. Definitely cliche. Just watch. In about three seconds some native from village Hatta-Hatta-Luki is gonna pop out from behind a bush and tell him to 'Go Back! Go Back!'" said Stanley, accompanying his words with 'spirit fingers'. Sure enough, about five seconds later, some guy popped out from behind the bushes and told the guy tho go back. 

"Now, see, at this point I would've gone home. But that idiot actually goes further into the jungle? What an idiot."

"Yeah. Now he's going to have some kind of weird encounter with a monster-like thing."

They went through the entire movie this way, Zero making comments on the guy's stupidity, Stanley predicting the cheesy cliched events in almost perfect detail. This felt... right, for some strange reason. Like this was how it was supposed to be. Funny, how things work.

Zero relaxed his head against the arm of the couch, and eventually fell asleep...

++++++++++++++

_Stanley was gazing at him for some odd reason. _

_ "What?" Zero asked, calmly._

_"It's just... you're so beautiful... I love you." Without waiting for a response, Stanley swooped down and captured Hectors lips with his own. It was like nothing either one of them had ever experienced. Sweet, yet passionate. It felt so good... Hector pulled the boy closer and ran his tongue over those rose-petal soft lips. They opened eagerly. Slipping his tongue into Stanley's mouth, Zero explored the hot cavern. A welcome invasion._

_ Stanley pressed his body against his, and moaned into the kiss as their hard-ons came in contact. The beautiful friction left stars in Zero's eyes. He grinded his body against Stanley's, feeling the boy grow harder. Still, their tongues dueled. God, Stanley tasted so good... like chocolate that just melted..._

_ They broke apart, for need of air. The passion was plain on both faces. Zero ran his hands up Stanley's shirt, inspecting the toned chest underneath. He smirked when he reached the boy's nipples, tweaking them. The boy shivered. They needed to move this somewhere more comfortable..._

_ Grabbing Stanley's hand, Zero led him to the bed. Stanley smirked and pushed him down onto it. Then, slowly, he removed his shirt. Slower than the first article went the pants, until after what seemed like an eternity, the god was naked before him. The boy was perfect. _

_ Blushing, then smirking, Stanley stalked toward the boy. He carefully unbuttoned Hectors shirt, and slowly slid it off the boy's shoulders. Then, he attacked. Kissing Zero roughly, he lightly kissed down the jaw line. Going lower, he licked and sucked his neck, eliciting a beautiful moan from him. He kissed down the chest, and let his tongue and teeth tease Zero's nipples, payback for before._

_ He went lower. Kissing down the boy's stomach and dipping his tongue into Hectors belly-button, earning a giggle. The boy's erections were straining against each others bodies. Stanley smirked, and began to unzip Hector's fly..._

  


_+++++++++ _

"Zero? You okay?" Stanley's voice awakened him from his reverie. The big brown eyes looking down at him had nothing but concern inside them. Which would have made him perfectly happy, except for the fact that in the dream there wasn't just concern. That dream was perfection, for in it those eyes held so much more...


	4. By Her

Stanley felt tired, but he couldn't sleep. Something was preventing him from floating off into dreamland, and he wasn't quite certain what.

Oh yeah. Could it be because he was lying in bed next to his secret crush, who happened to be his best friend, and also was sound asleep at this very moment? 

Yeah. Maybe.

Gazing at the sleeping boy, Stanley remembered the day he first met Zero. New at Camp Greenlake, he saw very few friendly faces. But when Mr. Pendanski had pointed out Hector saying "And this is Zero. Wanna know why we call him Zero? 'Cause there's Nothin' in his head.", he felt strangely drawn to the boy. It was as if they were kindred spirits. Like they were friends centuries before they were even born. He had wanted to make Mr. Pendanski eat his words. And, thinking about it now, he guessed he did.

Unconsciously, he moved closer to Zero. He remembered when Zero had first talked to him. Those words: "Did they have red xs on them?" It was like everything around them disappeared. He stared into those dark brown eyes, simply basking in both the beauty of the boy and the melody of his voice. All other sounds in that room had not reached his ears. He had barely been able to choke out his reply.

Zero rolled a bit to the side, close enough for Stanley to feel his body heat. This was torture. Beautiful, painful, excruciating torture. The boy was close enough to touch. And Stanley wanted to touch everywhere.

That one day at Camp Greenlake, when Zero had requested Stanley's help in learning how to read, he couldn't refuse. At the time, he wasn't sure why. Now he was.

His fingers ached to touch the boy. It was amazing how much he wanted to. He didn't think he could want anything so badly.

When Zero had run away from the camp, Stanley's heart had broken. He felt like he couldn't go on. Not without the boy he had come to see as his only true friend in that place. He had felt like he would die if he didn't find him. That's why he had tried to steal that truck. That's why he had wandered through that desert. Because he was crazy about that boy. He loved Hector Zeroni so much it hurt. It killed him not being able to tell him.

Zero moaned in his sleep. Was he having a nightmare? Concern for the boy immediately came forth. Zero moaned again, and twisted around in the sheets. Feeling a little guilty, Stanley realized just how much this was turning him on and blushed. Hector gasped and moved a bit nearer to Stanley. Stanley blushed redder.

He remembered the day he knew he was in love. Up on God's thumb, when Zero was just waking up. He remembered thinking about how strong that boy was. How brave and determined he must have been. And as he sang that little song his grandfather had once taught him, he felt this strange feeling. Like he could do anything. But that didn't matter. Thinking about the boy, Hector Zeroni (had he heard that last name somewhere before?), he realized just how strong he was. And just how strong he made him feel.

Then, Zero had opened his eyes, and it dawned on him. Looking into those dark eyes, he knew:

He was completely, utterly, undeniably falling for this boy. And there was no getting around it. 

Zero rolled over a bit more, and his hand touched Stanley's. His eyes snapped open at once. Looking at Stanley, he looked a little nervous for some reason.

"Uh, Stanley, why are you staring at me?"

He didn't know why he answered the way he did. Maybe he was too sleepy to make up a lie. Or maybe it was because the way those eyes snapped open reminded him of that day on God's Thumb. He didn't know which.

"I was just thinking," Stanley began "about the day you woke up on God's Thumb, remember? I was thinking about how you just looked so-"

"Boys? Are you asleep yet?" The door opened, and in stepped Zero's mom. Both boys immediately turned their attention to her.

"Uh, yeah mom. We were just talking about something, trying to get some sleep." Zero said, innocently.

"Okay. Just thought I'd check on you. Sweet Dreams." The door shut behind her, leaving them alone once more. 

"So, what were you saying?" Zero asked. Only then did he realize that Stanley was finally asleep. Good. Now he could cuddle as much as he wanted with out faking sleep. He'd just say he moved in his sleep the next morning.


	5. By Them

The next morning, Hector Zeroni found himself delightfully snuggled against a sleeping Stanley Yelnats. He didn't want to move, so he decided he would simply pretend that he was asleep when Stanley woke up. Feeling the boy behind him was too tempting.

Last night was one close call. He'd had one of THOSE dreams about Stanley, and bumping into him must have awakened both of them. He was scared Stanley was going to ask what he was dreaming about. Now THAT would've been bad.

The body behind him stirred. Hector immediately feigned light breathing and limpness. 

"Zero? You awake?" Stanley was asking him. 

Remaining silent, Zero felt the warmth of Stanley's body leave his own. He knew they had to get up eventually. He stayed silent for a couple minutes as he heard the faucet in the bathroom turn, and the water start running. Stanley was in the shower... Mmm.....

Before he knew it, the delicious fantasies had enveloped him once more. Hot water and even hotter hands running down naked bodies... Tongues in a never ending dance of passion... Sweet kisses everywhere but where they're needed... Closing his eyes, Hector let them take him away...

+++++++++++++++

_ Hector stepped closer to the shower curtain, cautiously. Finally, deciding it was time to act, he tore it away and let his eyes rove each crevice and curve of startled Stanley's naked body. It was like that of a god's, yet even more beautiful._

_ "Hector? Wha-_

_ "Shut up." was Hector's interruption. Not caring for his clothes, he stepped into the shower. Stanley's beautiful face, contorted with confusion, was too tempting to resist. Hector clasped his hands behind Stanley's neck and pulled him into a searing kiss. Droplets of water fell from their hair and Hectors clothes, but went unnoticed. _

_ They were the only things in existence for that moment. _

_ As the kiss ended, the look in Stanley's eyes was one of lust. Hector let go and moved his hands to travel down Stanley's chest. It was then that Stanley realized that Zero was a little over-dressed for the occasion._

_ Looking down at his best-friend-turned-lover, he nearly gasped at the sight. Soaking wet curls framed a work of art. Frighteningly dark eyes, the eyes of an impassioned lover were all he could see. They were swallowing him like a tasty treat meant only for the worthy. The clothes were clinging to his body like nothing else ever could._

_ Well, maybe not nothing..._

_ Stanley wanted very badly to divest his beautiful Hector of the clothes he wore, but before he could move, he found himself again trapped against the shower wall. Hector's lips were on his at lightning speed. Not that he minded, anyway. Mouth and hands... Everywhere.... _

+++++++++++++++++

Stanley's eyes snapped open in a flash. Where had that come from? Not that it wasn't welcome, but still, he was trying NOT to think about his best friend like that. 

He quickly got out of the shower before he thought anything else, and toweled himself off. He changed into a pair of baggy jeans and a black t-shirt and stepped into the bedroom. Zero jumped up as soon as the door opened, smiling brightly at his friend.

"Hey dude, your awake!" Stanley heard himself saying, though he really wasn't paying attention. 

"Uh, yeah, can you believe it?" came Hector's hollow reply.

Stanley moved to sit on the bed next to his friend, and Hector slid to the side. The heat from their bodies, not even touching, was amazing. Friction like hellfire.

"So, how was your nap, little buddy?" Stanley asked.

"Pretty good, Cave-brain." Hector knew Stanley hated this name.

"Hey! Quit it with that name!"

"Nah. It suits you." Hector replied slyly.

"I'm serious! Quit it!" Stanley used this as an excuse to move closer to his friend, feigning anger.

"....Cave-brain." Zero knew what was coming, and welcomed it. Stanley pounced and began The Great Tickle War II. Rolling around, avoiding each other's lower bodies, the friction increased between them. Giggles and squirms were a n aphrodisiac for both.

Hector gasped as his erection ground against the navy-blue comforter. Stanley found himself turned on more than ever at that, and flipping them over, he saw the boy's poking erection and stifled a gasp. Hector's eyes opened slowly (when had he closed them?) And he was greeted with the lovely sight of a very aroused Stanley Yelnats. For a moment, they just stared at each other, fearing their own words. 

Then the door slammed open.

"Yo, Zero, Caveman, What up? Oh... did we miss somethin'?" Both of them turned to the door simultaneously. Standing in the doorway, quite stunned, were their old friends X-ray, Magnet, ZigZag, and Armpit. 

"Uh, hey guys! How are you?" Both boys jumped apart. The questions would have to wait.


	6. Sometimes I wanna

"Yo, Caveman! Good ta see ya! Man, can you believe dis place?" Magnet was looking around the mansion, eyes wide and amazed. "Man, we didn't get THIS much money in the settlement!"

"Settlement? What're you talking about?" Asked Stanley, glad to have something to take his mind off Zero. They looked at each other, but refused to meet each other's eyes. 

"Oh yeah, I forgot to tell ya on the phone. My mom's new boyfriend's a lawyer. He said we all had the right to sue the pants off The Warden, Mr. Sir, and Mom. So we did. Then, somethin' happened at home wit' Zig. My mom took him in and we sued his 'rents for child abuse. Oh yeah. Now Zig's livin' wit us, can ya believe it?" He said this all without taking a breath, and everyone looked at he and ZigZag. 

"Yeah, pretty crazy, huh? Me and the Mag livin' in a huge house in tha 'burbs. We gotta share a room, though. No biggy." ZigZag said, turning to look away from Magnet. Stanley had a feeling he could relate to Zig, for the first time since he met him. 

"Yeah. My mom got extra benefits when she sued, 'cuz of my eyes." X-ray said.

"And I'm STILL outta there." Said Squid. Armpit nodded in agreement. 

"That's great, you guys. Uh, the food and stuff is down stairs. We'll be down in a minute." Said Hector. They weren't very used to hearing Zero speak, so they gave him an odd look before heading down the stairs in one big troop.

There was complete silence in the room, both unwilling to look each other in the eye. They quickly bustled around each other to fix up whatever they could, and ended up standing right in front of each other. Stanley and Hector looked into each others eyes, and a silent message was heard.

_I'll explain Later._

They headed down the stairs silently, and were greeted by the sight of all their friends, waiting at the bottom.

"We weren't gonna start the party without ya!" said Squid, before everyone shouted "Surprise!!" and a large cake was wheeled into the living room. It depicted what could be a mini-version of Camp Green Lake, tents, library, holes, and all. A little shovel was sticking out from one of them.

"What's this?" asked Stanley, staring at the cake.

"It's the Anniversary of the day you two got us outta there!!!" Shouted Zig, with grand enthusiasm. Every boy in the room besides Stanley and Hector erupted into a loud chorus of 'Happy Anniversary'. 

After the cake was cut, everyone just walked and talked. Soon, Stanley and Hector were left alone in their own little corner. They looked at each other and knew it was time to talk.

"Hey, Hector, I'm sorry about-

"Hey, Stanley, I'm sorry about-

They laughed as they realized they had both tried to talk at the same time. Then, got serious once more.

"Uh, Hector... Listen, I've been meaning to tell you for a long-

"Yo, Stanley, man, can I talk to ya for a minute?" Stanley felt himself being dragged away from the object of his affections, by none other than ZigZag. 

ZigZag had dragged him into a dark corner of the room, and began talking in a low, urgent whisper.

"Stanley, listen man, this is important, okay?" Stanley nodded and Zig talked even faster. "You know how me and Mag have been livin' together, right? Well, lately I've kinda started to... to like him. IN THAT WAY. I mean, how could I not? But anyway, I need your help. Talk to him 'bout me, find out if he likes me, PLEASE! Man this is important to me!!" Stanley nodded in response.

"THANKS MAN!!!" ZigZag hugged Stanley hard enough to crush him before running off to find his crush.

Meanwhile, Magnet had found Zero and started talking to him.

"Ya see, ever since he moved in, I've been thinkin' of him in THAT way. It's been crazy, man! Él es mi amor!" At which point, the boy began saying several things in spanish Hector could not understand. Hector nodded.

"So, I need your help. Talk to him for me, man! Find out if he's in to me that way!" Hector nodded, and Magnet smiled. "Thanks man! I owe ya one!"

Hector stood in silence until he spotted Stanley. NOW they could talk...


	7. Sometimes I gotta

Zero walked toward his best friend and crush, smoothly going unnoticed. Stanley looked up to see him as he got closer. Smiling in greeting, he waved his friend over.

"Hey! I was just talkin' to Zig. You know how he is."

"Yeah, I know. I was just talkin' to Magnet." 

"Hehe. Funny, we were just talkin' 'bout him."

"Really? We were just talkin' 'bout Zig, too."

Soon, they were silent. Stanley opened his mouth to speak, but Hector spoke first.

"Listen, Stanley, I've been thinking about this a long time, and-

"Yo, Zero, Can I talk to you a minute?" This time, it was Zero being dragged away from a perplexed Stanley. 

As soon as they were far enough away, ZigZag whipped Zero around. 

"Saw you talking to Mag. Did he say anything about me? Did he say anything about liking me? Did he say anything about me liking him? Did you mention me? Did he blush?" He said this all in one breath. Zero was quite confused.

"Uh... So, wait a minute. You.... Like Mag... That Way....?" He asked, trying to get everything straight.

The blush on Zig's face was evidence enough.

Meanwhile, Stanley was in much the same situation with Magnet. 

"Did he talk about me? Did he mention me? Did he say my name? Did YOU say my name? Did he say anything about me liking him? Did he talk about sharing a room with me?" As Magnet was talking, Stanley couldn't help but laugh.

"What?" 

"So, so wait... You.... Like.... ZigZag.... Like That...?" he said between laughter.

The blush on Magnet's face was evidence enough.

Stanley stopped laughing, and turned towards where Zero was talking with ZigZag. Feeling just a twinge of jealousy seeing Zero so close to another guy, but then again, he was standing pretty damn close to Magnet.

Zero felt just a tiny twinge of jealousy seeing Stanley standing so close to Magnet, but he dismissed it, seeing how close he was standing to Zig. He was contemplating whether or not to tell him what he knew or to play with them for awhile. He turned to Stanley, and met his eyes. He smiled slyly. Stanley knew the situation as well... hehehe....

"Well, he mentioned you, sure..." the trick was to be vague, subtle. Never let them know what you know. But let them know you know SOMETHING.

His grandmother had taught him when he was very young. She had learned it from her grandmother, who'd learned it from her grandmother, who was a gypsy. The art of dealing with emotions. The mind was subtly connected to the emotions, and so by playing with the mind a certain way, you could toy with emotions as well. 

But that's not what he wanted to do. He wanted bring two people together. And he knew just how to do it.

"What did he SAY?" Asked a frantic ZigZag. Perfect...

The eye contact with Hector Zeroni was all Stanley needed. He felt a surge of excitement run through his body. He knew what to do.

"Well, yeah he talked about you. I mean, I'm not sure if I should tell you what he said..."

"C'mon, man, I gotta know!!! Please?!?!" Magnet was frantic. 

"Well, he did say... No. I can't just betray a friend like that."

"Please, man!?! I'm your friend too, you know!!!!" 

"Yeah, I know, but still.... Why don't you ask him yourself?"

"Are you crazy, man?!?!?! I can't just ASK him!!!!" if Magnet weren't whispering, it would be considered a scream.

"Sure you can! Just go say 'Hey, Zig man, I like you.' and ask him out. That's it." Stanley said, putting a naïve smile on his face. Yeah. He was that stupid.

Magnet stared at him dumbly. Was he that stupid?

"WHAT?!" Was Zero crazy? Just ASK him?!?! 

"No, really. Just ask him. What's the worst he could do without cooling off eventually? You guys live in the same house!" Zero said confidently, putting a naïve smile on his face.

"Uh... sorry Zero, but I highly doubt that would work."

"Sure it will! Watch!" With that, Zero began pushing a frantic ZigZag toward Stanley and Magnet. Magnets eyes went wide as Stanley began pushing him as well. Soon, the two boys were nose to nose and terrified. 

"Well?" Zero and Stanley asked at the same time.

Both boys were too terrified to talk. This was frustrating to no end. Finally, Zero and Stanley pushed their faces together, causing them to kiss. The boys stared wide-eyes into each others eyes. Yet, soon their eyes closed as both succumbed to their first kiss. 

Stanley and Hector nodded at each other, congratulating each other for their handy work. Soon, every other boy had gathered around and patted Stanley and Zero on the back, thanking them for finally forcing those two to do something about their obsessions with each other. ZigZag and Magnet just kept kissing. A sight that made both Stanley and Zero remember what they had been trying to do all night.


End file.
